David Belbin
@davidbelbin.bsky.social
330 followers 200 following 930 posts
Nottingham novelist. Poetry reader. Music nerd. Movie lover. From October 25-March 26, I'm publishing 'Greeneland' a serial novel set 100 years ago, covering Graham Greene's 4 months in Nottingham davidbelbin.substack.com. A dog, a job, a woman & a church.
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davidbelbin.bsky.social
Interesting thought but surely he'd have listed the track number played.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Charity shop jazz: a thing I haven't seen before. The owner has (I'm presuming) meticulously recorded each time he played the CD. Looks like he (and surely it's a 'he') got his money's worth.
six jazz cd by Miles, Coltrane, Lester Young, Zoot Sims etc, each with a date list showing the seven or eight times they've been played.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
The question was about albums that you regret buying - not Neil’s worst albums. Neil has made plenty of clunkers but the only one of those mentioned above that I bought a copy of is Life, secondhand, and I haven’t played it in years. Even so, I recall that it was better than LOW.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
I watched it over a week because I found it hard to do more than 20 minutes in one go. Looked good, which is why I finished it, but otherwise a complete misfire.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
The Holy, Beat, and Crazy Next Thing. A signed Jack Kerouac episode from On The Road, written in London, was found in the estate sale of a 40-year dead, murdered mafia boss. You couldn't make it up (and Kerouac didn't, he only changed the names). Here's page one. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...
First page of 'The Holy, Beat, and Crazy Next Thing' by Jack Kerouac, the whole things is yours for six grand or so.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Doing Stoppards is what keeps the Hampstead going since they lost their ACE grant. Enjoyed Rock'n'Roll on my last visit.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
My first gig was the Meddle tour , where Pink Floyd opened with all of Eclipse. An inveterate music nerd, obviously I would say that, while DSOTM is good, you need to hear the earlier, more spacey version.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Used my first bonus for Musical Youth (main to the superb Joan Armatrading) but had to double up on The Crown. A masterpiece.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Bloody hell but House of Dynamite is tremendous. In 1981, I used to show Dr Strangelove or Failsafe to public meetings for CND. Today, I’d show this 2 demonstrate how easily nuclear war could happen. On Netflix soon but really worth seeing on big screen. Props to Kathryn Bigelow for getting it made.
Movie poster
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Tempting to say Be Here Now or later albums by subsequently cancelled artist (Morrissey, Arcade Fire or Ryan Adams are all in the can no longer listen to category) but honest answer is the only album I've ever returned (to Nottingham Selectadisc) because 'it's awful'. Neil Young's Landing on Water.
The dreadful cover of Neil Young's Landing on Water, which remains a huge, stinking turd of an LP, which I bought on release day and returned the following day. A Neil Young completist, I still don't own a copy.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Spectator. Just got home so checked. It's on p158 of LAFE.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Indeed he read him. I bought David’s copy of Albert Angelo from his son not long before he died. A review first ed, though dunno where he reviewed it.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Jumble queen is BSJ's best album but doesn't get the love because it's not on Dandelion (and the new label made her add a pointless Elton John cover, which spoils it slightly).
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Until quite recently I'd often see him in Sheffield, at The Crucible to watch a play. A long, rich life. RIP.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
I lasted 5 minutes or so - for all the reasons mentioned. Last night though I watched History is Made at Night, which I have a feeling you recommended. If so, many thanks. Wonderful genre busting classic.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Recently sponsored the Not Anymore You're Not prize for the over 65s..
davidbelbin.bsky.social
In which a 13 year old predicts the demise of Elvis while his 48 year older self writes 'Show Some Emotion was as important to me as Spiral Scratch and do you know what, it still is.' Me too, Marcello, me too.
Reposted by David Belbin
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Last Orders. A poem by my dear friend, John Lucas, published in 2000. John was a fine poet, professor, critic, novelist, cornet player and publisher. He died a few days ago, at 88. It's his poetry he'd most want us to remember him by, and we still have that. But oh how much I'll miss his friendship.
Poem about an old man's last visit to his local pub by John Lucas, from the collection 'On The Track' (2000).
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Last Orders. A poem by my dear friend, John Lucas, published in 2000. John was a fine poet, professor, critic, novelist, cornet player and publisher. He died a few days ago, at 88. It's his poetry he'd most want us to remember him by, and we still have that. But oh how much I'll miss his friendship.
Poem about an old man's last visit to his local pub by John Lucas, from the collection 'On The Track' (2000).
davidbelbin.bsky.social
I get through a stand alone burner every year or two, as Macs no longer have them and, anyway, built in ones are usually poor quality. Spend at least £20 and you should get something decent.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Just finished this terrific two parter, and today learn that Chris Dreja, the original Yardbirds bassist (whose reunion version I saw perform and who very nearly joined the band that became Led Zeppelin), has died, aged 79, after a long illness. RIP.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
So it's not a short story so shouldn't have won but the novel is worth a read.
davidbelbin.bsky.social
Nice utterly irrelevant inclusion of the Dan in a quirky, somewhat silly film but, as I reflect on it an hour after coming out, loving the mad.